Humility in Christ
This article is part of a special series here at More Than Sundays. In this series, instead of writing a few articles on different topics under the same overarching theme, we posed the same prompt to each of our blog writers and asked them to write an article fulfilling it. For this series, the prompt is as follows: “What is a lesson you have learned about God or your walk with God that took you a while to learn or that you wish you had learned sooner?” We hope that by sharing the hard lessons God has taught us that you will be blessed in the process. Please enjoy.
Admitting I am weak without God was perhaps the hardest thing I had to do when I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I struggled with self-reliance and pride before I came to Christ. For a long time I relied on my own strength to overcome struggles and hardship. I was abused as a young child, then again as an adult – not to mention at 4’11”, I did everything I could not to appear weak or unable. Feeling worthless and broken because of the abuse I endured triggered so much anxiety knowing I wasn’t strong during those times. I had no control. Therefore, I went out of my way to prove I am more than capable. There was nothing I couldn’t do, and there wasn’t a challenge I was afraid to complete. I took great pride in my own strength. Being underestimated became my motivation to prove others wrong. However, the more I relied on my own strength, the more exhausted and angry I became. If I failed, I was hard on myself. I became angry at myself for not trying harder or for not pushing myself harder. I developed anxiety, resentment, and anger trying to remain strong on my own. There was always this pressure to maintain my strength. I made certain not to ask for help because I didn’t want to appear “less than”. I am strong, and I wanted the world to know it. Being strong on your own is exhausting. The anxiety only grew each time I attempted to maintain control by my own strength.
As I began to walk with Christ, He began to humbly teach me that when I am weak, He is strong. In 2 Corinthians, Paul testified to a powerful truth from God, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)). When I am weak, He is strong. No longer do I have to be strong on my own, and no longer do I have to carry the burden and anxiety to remain strong and capable. God walks with me. I just have to trust Him. God is my strength. He is strong. He is powerful. He is capable. The more I relied on Him, the more free I felt. I no longer felt trapped or anxious trying to be strong on my own. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)). We are not meant to walk this Earth alone. We are not meant to attempt to overcome hardships on our own either. My strength comes from God now. Author Donald Miller said, “In exchange for our humility and willingness to accept the charity of God, we are given a kingdom. And a beggar’s kingdom is better than a proud man’s delusion.” We are a charity case. Knowing this, letting go and letting God became easier. The Lord taught me to relinquish control and relinquish any delusion that I was strong on my own. I am a charity case. I need God. He is my strength. How many of us have been guilty trying to control things on our own because we think we can? How many of us forget to lay our burdens on Him? God is near; all we have to do is trust in Him. God doesn’t forsake us; He is for us. Now, if I am strong, it is because God makes me strong. He strengthens me. “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 (NIV)).
I pray God will open the hearts of those still struggling with pride or self-reliance, that He may bring loving humility into your hearts. We are a charity case. But through Christ, we have freedom knowing He will strengthen us. He is for us always.
Resources:
1. Miller, Donald. Blue Like Jazz.